friends with the enemy
by daydreamsandcoffee
Summary: What would happen if Draco met Hermione on the train and became friends with her before he found out about her blood status?


**A/N: English is not my first language so if there are mistakes I apologise. Enjoy ! And please let me know what you think of it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own harry potter, sadly.**

Draco swallowed harshly, trying to subdue the butterflies in his stomach. Putting up a brave front, he puffed his chest out a little bit and adapted that conceited little smirk of his as he walked with an air of superiority towards the train. He didn't bother to look back as he knew his parents had mostly likely left already, not bothering to watch him go. Despite the fact that they maybe weren't the best parents he held only as much bitterness as his 11-year old body could contain, which to be honest wasn't that much. They were still his parents after all.

He quickly located some of his pureblood friends, who weren't very hard to pick out of a crowd. Among bustling and chattering young children they were sticking out like a sore thumb. They walked around stiffly, with their backs straight and not one emotion projecting on their faces except for the arrogance that always seemed to follow pureblood children. He acknowledged their presence with a slight nod and continued to board the train as his friends quickly tailed behind him like lost puppies and Draco had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

When they had all been situated, Draco on one side and Crabbe Goyle and Blaise on the other, Draco quickly found himself getting bored as the others continued to discuss quiditch and other trivial manners. It wasn't that he didn't like the sport, in fact it was the only sport he _did_ like and he liked to believe he was rather good at it, but there is only so much quiditch he could take.

But then _she_ came in. he heard the gentle knock on the door and before he could answer she had walked in with an air of superiority and knowledge, she walked in the same poised way as they did, yet there was something entirely different about this girl that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Still he immediately assumed she was a pureblood and had smiled kindly when she asked if she could sit next to him.

He couldn't help but smile, listening to the girl next to him. The first thing she did after she introduced herself was start to ramble about Hogwarts; a history. It was nothing he didn't know of course, but he couldn't bring himself to stop her. While the others rolled their eyes in annoyance, he quite liked the way her cheeks colored pink with excitement and how she used grant hand gestures in order to express herself.

Hermione Granger, that was her name. he thought it suited her, the bushy haired witch that happened to stumble into his coupon, amusing him greatly. She was like a breath of fresh air, not to mention Draco looked forward to having a friend whom he could hold conversations with topics other than quiditch.

''Do you want to play a game?'' Draco bit his lip, pondering if he should agree. It wasn't as if he knew any games, after all he never played one with his friends, aside from the occasional prank here and there. But he knew the fight was already lost when he looked up to find her staring at him with an adorable, hopeful expression on her face and he found himself nodding all the while with a smile on his face.

''Okay now stick your hands out like this.'' She instructed, sticking her hands out with the palm of her hands facing the floor. Hesitatingly, Draco obeyed. ''Okay so now I have to try and slap your hands before you pull away.'' Draco pulled one eyebrow up, looking incredulously at the girl in front of him before retracting his hands to his lap. Surprisingly Hermione laughed and took his hands in her own, pulling his hands back to their former stance. Draco decided that that wasn't a bad sound to hear. ''No silly, you have to wait and try to guess when I'm going to slap you, only then can you remove your hands.''

The rest of the short ride was spent playing games and chatting about Hogwarts and what they thought it was going to be like. In the beginning, especially when they had started to play games, Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise had taken it upon themselves to ridicule Hermione, snickering behind their hands and mocking her. But with one burning glare from Draco they immediately shut up. It wasn't often that his friends saw that glare for it was usually reserved for enemies. It certainly didn't help the growing worry that all of his friends had, when they noticed that already, the blonde had developed a protective streak over the small witch.

When the time came to follow the friendly long haired giant to the boats, Hermione and Draco automatically stuck together, walking along side one another. He tried to forget about his worries by focusing on the adorable and amusing rants of his new friend but found it to be more difficult the closer they got to the boats. At the sight of the small, unstable looking boats floating on the dark water, Draco felt himself stiffen as fear washed over him. Apparently Hermione could already read him better than most of his friends when she quieted and regarded him with a careful, worried expression. ''Are you okay?'' she had asked it so quietly, Draco wasn't sure if she actually spoke but nodded and answered anyways. Draco was certain that his new friend would be less then impressed if she found out about his irrational fear of water and he didn't want to lose her so soon, not when he just got her. ''Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?'' Draco boasted, trying to come across as confident while he kept his signature smug expression on his face. She just looked at him disbelievingly but seemed to let it go.

''Off you go!" Hagrid cheered, trying to discreetly encourage and push the hesitant blonde towards the boat but Draco found himself unable to move his feet. What must his father think of him? How disappointed he would be that his son was such a coward that he was afraid to step into one stupid boat, Draco bitterly thought. But then, as if it was the most common thing in the world Hermione slipped her small hand into his. A blush colored his pale cheeks as he looked at her in wonder but she didn't meet his gaze just stared straight ahead, completely unbothered. Hermione tugged him along and Draco found himself unable to protest, forgetting all about his fear of water, too busy reveling in the fact that she was holding his hand.

When the shock had worn off, the fear had come back while they swayed harshly over the waves, but was kept in check by Hermione occasionally squeezing his hand reassuringly. ''Wow.'' The girl next to him breathed, as she looked up in wonder and awe to the impressive building that they were heading towards. Draco knew that his friend wasn't astoundingly beautiful as some girls but as the soft lights shone on her delicate features and her big brown eyes were full with childlike wonder and awe, her mouth forming an adorable o-shape, Draco decided that he had never seen a prettier sight.


End file.
